Sizing machine for fruits and vegetables



A 1,636,221 July 19, 1927 J, D. GRABILL SIZING MACHINE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Filed sept. 15, 1926r 2 shuts-smet 1 Q Q *g l may atmmw;

'July 19, 1927.

1,636,227 J. D. G RABLL SIZING MACHINE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Filed Sept. 15. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WMM@ www PatentedJulyl9, 1927. M

UNITED ,STATES PATE Nr orales.

Joint n. arianna., or woons'roox, vmsnna.

v 'Amman nea september 1s, '1eae. serial 1ro. 135,164.v

This invention relates to sizing machines for fruit and vegetables, apples, oranges, potatoes, onions and the like, to machines for this purpose of the type in which an endless traveling sizin chain is employed, the chain being provide with the passage of the sma er size fruit or vegetables. K

The object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of the type referred to, to provide an improved construction of sizing chain and supporting and driving means therefor to provide for a more eilicient rapid sizing of the material, to prevent cloggin of the openin of the sizing chain, an' to avoid bruismg and crushing of the fruit or ve stables, and the losses incidental thereto.

articularly important novel characteristics of the invention reside in the special construction of a sizing chain to prevent wedging of the fruit or vegetables inthe openin l is large y avoide i ure 5 looking Fig. 7 section on the line 7j-7 Y of 'Fig-' vention is *'scale, of a portion of the of the chain, and also in the particular chain /structure in' combination with the particular su portin and drivin means emplo ed wlibreb cgrushin of theg fruit or vegetables and a simple, ellicient construction afforded.

The invention with other objects and advantages thereof, and the particular constructlon, combination and arran ement of parts comprisin the same will understood from the ollowing, detail description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part' hereof and illustrating one embodiment ofthe invention.

Infthe drawings: Figure 1 is a ongitudinalr vertical section of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view. l Fig. 3 is a transverse verticalsection. Fig. 4 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the sizing chain.

Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlar sizing chain, Wlth parts shownin section. t i Fg 6, is a section 'onftheline 6--6 of Flgin the direction of the arrow.

ure 5. l v

While a articular embodiment of the in#- illustrated in the drawings, it wi of course be understood that changes and modifications of theparticular 'illustrated maybe \madeand the inventlon ding openings for embodied in other those skilled in the art and falling within the scope -of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to a detail description of the forms, as will appeal to particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, A designates the which may be 'of any' frame of the machine, sultable construction, the lsame being shown as comprising uprights 1 connected by. upper and lower longitudinal bars 2 3.

The sizing chain, designated generally B in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, comprises rigid transverse rod members 4 and vseries of intermediate lon 'tudinal link members 5 pivotally connecte therewith, the arrangement being as illustrated so that grading openings 6 of similar size are provided between the series of longitudinal links 5 and the transverse vrod .members 4. The transverse rod members 4 consist of stout metal rods shown circular in. cross section and rovided with smooth polished faces. The ongitudinal link members 5, which are of metal, and may be formed from heavy wire, have smooth rounded outer faces, be-

ing preferably as shown circular in cross section, said members beingprovided with eyes 5a at either end thereof to engage the transverse rod members 4. On the transverse rod members 4 between the longitudinal link members 5 are tubular members or sleeves 7. The tubular members or sleeves 7, shown of cylindrical form, are rotatably vvmounted upon thev transverse rod/members 4 between the longitudinal link members 5, said sleeve members while serving as s acing means for the longitudinal link mem ers 5 are freely rotatable and function to prevent sticking or wedging of the fruit or vegetables in the gradin openings 6 of the chain. At either side o the chain is a set of outer longitudinal link members 8 `simliar in construction to the link'members 5 and pivotallyconnected in a similar. manner to the transverserod -members 4 at the outer end portions thereof, 'said outer sets of links with the outermostofthe series oflink members 5 and the'outer end portions of the translos.

verse rod members 4 constituting" side sections, to engage supporting and driving sprocket wheels. 9 deslgnates Spacing sleeves on the transverse rod members 4between the longitudinal links-8 and the outermost of the lll serlesgof. longitudinal'links 45. The 'trans- Yverse rod 4 are provided at their sizing chain comprises rollers 12, 13, having.

Ysmooth faces, as shown, and airs of sprocket wheels 14, 15, at the en s of the rollers, said rollers and sprocket wheels being iixedly secured to .shafts 16, 17, mounted for rotation in suitable bearings on the frame A. The sprocket wheels 14, v1.5, project outwardly beyond the faces of vthe rol- 1ers 12, 13, as shown, the arrangement being such that the sizin chain B engages the rollers 12, 13, and t e outer side sections of the chain-including the outermost of the series of lon itudinal links 5, the outer lon i- .tudinal li 8, and the end portions of t e transverse rod members 4 engaging the sprocket wheels, the' end portions ofthe transverse rod mem ers y4 of the chain enstretch of the chain t0 a rece tacle or gaging sockets 14, 15, of the s rocket wheels. 18 designates a driving pu ey on the shaft 17.

At either side of the supporting frame A are longitudinally extending slide ways 19 v between the pairs of sprocket wheels 14-.15

for the said mar als rocket en ing portions of the actiild strtch of thac ainsB, the bottom boards 19-of said ways constituting tracks upon which the side ortions of the chain slide and are supported.

20 designates a `hopper at one uend of the machine and 21 are vside boards to retain the fruit or vegetables on the sizing chain.

As will be understood, in the 'operation of the machine, the fruit is-fed to the hopper 20 upon the, traveling sizing chain B, the smal er size ap les or the like dropping through the grading opening 6 in theuplper c ute 22 and are delivered at one side of the machine while the larger apples or the like are.y carried by the chain to the openend of the machine and discharged on to the next size grading chain or into any suitable receptacle (not shown It willbe vnoted t at the articular con- A'struction and arrangement'o parts'hereinbefore set forth afford a simple and eicient.l

fruit sizing machine. The lspecial construction of sizlg chain serves to'fprevent` sticking and w ging o f the fruit l'oiivegetables `1n the gra g openings of the chain. The

b e s eeve members on'the transverse rodmembers of thechain facilitate the easy passage of tlie fruit and ,vegetables of a predetermined size through vthe opeiiin ofrthe chain. They also Vfunction to pernnt 4 larger size fruit or vegetables that may exvset .of outer longitu inal link members Ywarmer tend partly through the openings, in the chain, to be easily pushed back without crushing to the upper side of the cham by the chain, Thus clogging of the lc ain and crushing of the fruit or'vleetables is largely avoided, and a more rapi eiiicient separation is obtained,

What I claim is:

1. In a fruit and vegetable sizing machine, an endless sizing chain, a pair of supporting rolls for the chain, each roll having a pair of sprocket wheels fixedly secured thereto at the ends thereof, and the roll at the delivery end of the chain having a Substantially smooth outer face, said chain comprising rigid transverse rod members, series of interthe smooth roller 13 at the dischar e end of mediatey longitudinal link members pivotaL ly connected therewith and spaced to provide grading openin s of similar size, and a 1v otally connected with the outer end portlons of the transverse rod members at either end thereof, said outer longitudinal link members being spaced from the outermost of the first mentioned series of lon tudinal link members to coo rate therewit and with the end portions o said transverse'rod members to constitute side sprocket chain portions to engage the said pairs of s rocket wheels.

2. Ina fruit and vegetaile sizing machine, an endless sizing chain, a pair of supporting rolls for the chain, each roll having a pair of l sprocket wheels ixedly secured thereto at the ends thereof, and the roll at the delivery end of the chain having a substantially smooth outer face, said chain comprising rigid transverserod members, series of intermediate longitudinal link members pivotally connected therewith and spaced to provide grading openings of similar size, and a set of outer longitudinal link memberspivotally connectedJ with the outer end portions of the transverse rod members at either end thereof, said outer longitudinal link members being spaced fromthe outermost of 'the first mentioned series of llongitudinal link members to, cooperate therewith 'and wlthl the end portions of said transverse rod members to constitute side sprocket chain portions to engage the said palrs of sprocket 1 wheels, and a track at either side of the machine between the airs of rolls to be engaged lll lll

by said side sproc et portions and to assist irlil supporting the active stretch of the sizing c am. v

3. In a fruit and vegetable sizing machine, an endless sizing chain, a pair of supporting rolls for the chain, each roll having a pair of s rocket wheels ixedly ,secured thereto at t e `ends thereof, and the roll'at the 'delivery end of the chain having an outerface to present a smooth outer surface beneath and throughout the grading. o nings of the chain in its p over sai roll said chain III comprisingv rigid transverse rod members,

series of intermediate longitudinal link members pivotally connected therewith and. spaced to rovide grading openings ofsimilar size, s eeve members rotatably mounted on the transverse rod members between the longitudinal link members, and a set of outer longitudinal link members pivotally lconnected with the outer end portions of the transverse rod members at either end thereof, said outer longitudinal link members being spaced from the outermost of the first mentioned series of longitudinal link members to cooperate therewith and with the end portions of said transverse vrod members to constitute side sprocket chain portions to engage the said pairs of sprocket wheels.

4. In a fruit and vegetable sizing machine, an endless sizing chain, a pair of supporting rolls for thel chain, drive connections for the chain located at either end of the rolls, said chain comprising rigid transverse rod members of clrcular cross section, series of intermedlate longitudinal link members rounded in cross section pivotally connected'with the transverse rod members and spaced to provlde grading openings of similar size, and cylindrical sleeve dmembers rotatably mounted on the transverse rod members between the longitudinal linkmembers.

5. In a fruit and vegetable sizing machine, an endless sizing chain, aepair of supporting rolls for the chain, drive connections for the chain located at either end ofthe rolls, said chain comprising rigid transverse rod -Inembers of circular cross section, series of intermediate longitudinal link members pivotally connected therewith and spaced to provide grading openings of similar size, said longitudinal link members having rounded outer faces and consisting of rod sections circular in cross section and bent to provide eyes at the ends thereof to pivotally engage said transverse rod members,` and cylindrical sleeve members rotatably mountedv on the transverse rod members between the longitudinal link members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my l signature.

JOHN D. GRABILL.` 

